US President declares support for same-sex marriage
US President Barack Obama yesterday expressed for the first time his personal support
for so-called “same-sex marriage”. Following the remarks in an exclusive interview
with ABC News, aides for Obama clarified that the President’s views are personal,
and that he still supports the idea that states should decide the question individually.
Obama’s rejection of traditional marriage as the norm for society comes a
day after North Carolina became the 30th U.S. state to introduce a constitutional
protection for traditional marriage, overwhelmingly approving an amendment that defines
marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman.
In a statement published
by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the president
of the USCCB said he was “deeply saddened” by the Obama’s remarks.
Listen:
Below
please find the complete statement by USCCB President Cardinal Timothy Dolan:
President Obama’s comments today in support of the redefinition of marriage
are deeply saddening. As I stated in my public letter to the President on September
20, 2011, the Catholic Bishops stand ready to affirm every positive measure taken
by the President and the Administration to strengthen marriage and the family. However,
we cannot be silent in the face of words or actions that would undermine the institution
of marriage, the very cornerstone of our society. The people of this country, especially
our children, deserve better. Unfortunately, President Obama’s words today are not
surprising since they follow upon various actions already taken by his Administration
that erode or ignore the unique meaning of marriage. I pray for the President every
day, and will continue to pray that he and his Administration act justly to uphold
and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. May we all work to promote
and protect marriage and by so doing serve the true good of all persons.